I have the Iron Label SR with the Bartolini BH2 and play heavy music. They sound awesome when driven. I use a Bass Big Muff and the tone is huge. The top end from the distortion brightens up the sound without being too harsh. I play in a bass and drums metal duo and they are big enough sounding with just the two of us! Great demo vid.
IMO Nordstrand's pups make the bass look more boutique-esque and absolutely gorgeous, and soundwise more suited for metal, driven rock, pick lines and stuff like that cause they have impeccable mids. Bartolini's on the other hand have a deeper low end more versatile and probably more suited for fingerstyle. That being said, he is playing rather heavy on the strings so this is not a spot-on display of what both pickups can do as his playing is 'killing' a lot of dynamics, from which the Bartolini's could benefit Anyway, thanks for the review!
Nicely put. I agree on the types of music that are probably more suited to the two distinctly different pickup voicings (at least as heard in this demo). The Barts sound to be to have more of the range typicalof the 'original' style Barts, quite deep and more pronounced in the bass and mids, while the Nordy's have a slightly overdriven, almost gruitty quality to them. Horses for courses I guess.
I needed this comparison, thanks, without a doubt with Bartolini I can get the eq of Nordstrand, and Bartolini more Dark, it is simply a matter of taste, both excellent, I would like to hear the Aguilar pickups! ...
The Nordstrands take gain sooo well. I always use an IR when recording anything and the Nords win there too. I can see the appeal of the BH2s, but on my Ibanez SR505e, they're dark and muddy for what I try to use them for...plus they don't like when you put any drive or distortion in the signal.
I have the SR505e. I am not a distortion player and like their warmth. What do you think they are missing and do you think this bass can be improved by changing pickups?
Just bought a BTB747 but had never heard the Bartolini BH2s, so thank you for comparing. The Nord were a little brighter, but I felt they allowed some needless buzzing in and I felt the BH2 were warmer and fuller. Almost like the wood resonance was richer and rang truer and the Nords felt a little processed. They both sounded great but I think that the BH2s overall were more pleasing to my ear. I think the brightness could be compensated with the bass eq or amp settings. The Nords I think would sound good through pedals and effects. All subjective of course. Thanks for making and I’m excited to get BTB747 and BH2 combo.
@@Eugensson yes the mk1 preamp was actually really bad haha I remember replacing one in my old sr900 with an Aguilar OBP-3 pre amp and the mk1 pickups actually sounded pretty dang good .. I will say the new Ibanez preamps are a big improvement over the mk1 preamp but I wouldn’t put them on the same level as an Aguilar pre or any other reputable brand
if bartolinis were up as standard i feel they are better , to be honest i wanted to go nostrand pickups for my 5 000 euro custom bass but after this i ll look into bartolini again as was recomended to me from luthier,, nostrands sound is awsome but is like allredy compressed and a bit too much ,, some lines sound like rhcp riff where he uses /wah /compressor to the sky ,,are picks at same depth ,,and what about eq,, i like sound of nostrand but a good compressor and i bet i geet same sound from bartolinis,, and you can not do it otherway uncompress the nostr,,
I’ve always loved the sound of Nordys. The Big Splits just have a midrange presence that most Barts lack.
That Nordstrand neck pickup solo'd makes the bass sound like a Rickenbacker! Awesome
I have the Iron Label SR with the Bartolini BH2 and play heavy music. They sound awesome when driven. I use a Bass Big Muff and the tone is huge. The top end from the distortion brightens up the sound without being too harsh. I play in a bass and drums metal duo and they are big enough sounding with just the two of us! Great demo vid.
IMO Nordstrand's pups make the bass look more boutique-esque and absolutely gorgeous, and soundwise more suited for metal, driven rock, pick lines and stuff like that cause they have impeccable mids.
Bartolini's on the other hand have a deeper low end more versatile and probably more suited for fingerstyle.
That being said, he is playing rather heavy on the strings so this is not a spot-on display of what both pickups can do as his playing is 'killing' a lot of dynamics, from which the Bartolini's could benefit
Anyway, thanks for the review!
Nicely put. I agree on the types of music that are probably more suited to the two distinctly different pickup voicings (at least as heard in this demo). The Barts sound to be to have more of the range typicalof the 'original' style Barts, quite deep and more pronounced in the bass and mids, while the Nordy's have a slightly overdriven, almost gruitty quality to them. Horses for courses I guess.
I needed this comparison, thanks, without a doubt with Bartolini I can get the eq of Nordstrand, and Bartolini more Dark, it is simply a matter of taste, both excellent, I would like to hear the Aguilar pickups! ...
I like the tones you got with both sets of pickups. Not sure which one I like more.
Both sound good. There are differences, but they are only differences.
Thanks for the video. It is helpful. Sounded like the Nordys had more focus. Or articulate.
Bartolini all the way!!!
The Nordstrands take gain sooo well. I always use an IR when recording anything and the Nords win there too. I can see the appeal of the BH2s, but on my Ibanez SR505e, they're dark and muddy for what I try to use them for...plus they don't like when you put any drive or distortion in the signal.
I have the SR505e. I am not a distortion player and like their warmth. What do you think they are missing and do you think this bass can be improved by changing pickups?
Thank you you did a really great job
Just bought a BTB747 but had never heard the Bartolini BH2s, so thank you for comparing. The Nord were a little brighter, but I felt they allowed some needless buzzing in and I felt the BH2 were warmer and fuller. Almost like the wood resonance was richer and rang truer and the Nords felt a little processed. They both sounded great but I think that the BH2s overall were more pleasing to my ear. I think the brightness could be compensated with the bass eq or amp settings. The Nords I think would sound good through pedals and effects. All subjective of course. Thanks for making and I’m excited to get BTB747 and BH2 combo.
Bartolini the best for me.
Dual coils vs split coil. Sound very different
Sounds like a F minor over a G flat Dorian mixed into some kind of mixalydian conchairtoe in my professional opinion
Man those big singles make it sound exactly like Geddy
I like the sound of Bartolini, but the B string sounds better with Nordstrand
The Nordys sound great but I must say those BH2 are a big improvement over the old Mk1 pickups
And the preamp as well the old mk1 pre was garbage.
@@Eugensson yes the mk1 preamp was actually really bad haha I remember replacing one in my old sr900 with an Aguilar OBP-3 pre amp and the mk1 pickups actually sounded pretty dang good .. I will say the new Ibanez preamps are a big improvement over the mk1 preamp but I wouldn’t put them on the same level as an Aguilar pre or any other reputable brand
if bartolinis were up as standard i feel they are better , to be honest i wanted to go nostrand pickups for my 5 000 euro custom bass but after this i ll look into bartolini again as was recomended to me from luthier,, nostrands sound is awsome but is like allredy compressed and a bit too much ,, some lines sound like rhcp riff where he uses /wah /compressor to the sky ,,are picks at same depth ,,and what about eq,, i like sound of nostrand but a good compressor and i bet i geet same sound from bartolinis,, and you can not do it otherway uncompress the nostr,,
I love the Bartolini chunkchunkchunk.
that chilipepper tone
Slap set the Nordstrands apart
Nordstrand for me.